[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 98 (Thursday, July 15, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8231-S8232]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. BOXER:
  S. 2660. A bill to provide for the monitoring of the long-term 
medical health of firefighters who responded to emergencies in certain 
disaster areas; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation.
  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, as we are entering the fire season in 
California, I am today introducing the Healthy Firefighters Act.
  Last year, I offered this bill as an amendment to the Healthy Forests 
Restoration Act, and it passed the Senate by a vote of 94-3. 
Unfortunately, House Republicans insisted on dropping this important 
proposal in conference.
  Last year my State experienced devastating wildfires. Those fires 
killed 24 people, including one firefighter. Over 750,000 acres burned. 
More than 3,700 homes were destroyed in five Southern California 
counties. Thousands of firefighters from local, State and Federal 
agencies responded to these fires.
  Those firefighters--and in fact most firefighters who respond to 
Federal disasters--are at higher risk of long-term health problems 
because of exposure to several toxins, including fine particulates, 
carbon monoxide, sulfur, formaldehyde, mercury, heavy metals, and 
benzene. As a result, their long-term health should be monitored so 
that any consequences can be identified, leading to early detection and 
better treatment.
  The Healthy Firefighters Act does just that. It requires long-term 
health monitoring of firefighters who respond to a crisis in any 
federally-declared disaster area. This long-term monitoring will be 
carried out by the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) in consultation with 
the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The 
USFA will work with a locally based medical research university so that 
local experts are involved in this important effort.
  This legislation is supported by the International Association of 
Firefighters, the National Volunteer Fire Council, and the California 
State Firefighters' Association. I ask unanimous consent that support 
letters from these organizations be placed in the Record.
  We owe it to our Nation's firefighters. Our Nation's firefighters put 
their lives on the line to protect us. The least we can do is to help 
them remain healthy by providing long-term health monitoring. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in this effort.
  I ask unanimous consent that several letters of support be printed in 
the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:
                                         International Association


                                             of Fire Fighters,

                                 Washington, DC, February 2, 2004.
     Hon. Barbara Boxer,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Boxer: On behalf of the Nation's more than 
     260,000 professional fire fighters and emergency medical 
     personnel, I wish to express our enthusiastic support for 
     your proposal to provide medical monitoring for fire fighters 
     who respond to nationally declared disasters.
       In recent years, we have become increasingly aware that the 
     greatest dangers fire fighters face are often not the ones 
     that take lives on the fireground, but those that kill and 
     disable years later. Fire fighters who respond to disasters 
     often face prolonged exposure to unknown toxins. Medical 
     monitoring of these fire fighters will enable early detection 
     and treatment for the job-related illnesses that result.
       Equally important, the information, gleaned from this 
     project will enable us to develop better protective clothing 
     and equipment in the future. Thus, this program has the 
     potential to both save the lives of fire fighters who have 
     been exposed to dangerous substances and prevent harmful 
     exposures in the future.
       The Nation's fire fighters thank you for your extraordinary 
     efforts championing this legislation, and we stand ready to 
     assist you in moving this important initiative forward
           Sincerely,
                                           Harold A. Schaitberger,
     General President.
                                  ____



                              National Volunteer Fire Council,

                                 Washington, DC, January 30, 2004.
     Hon. Barbara Boxer,
     Hart Senate Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Boxer: The National Volunteer Fire Council 
     (NVFC) is a nonprofit membership association representing the 
     more than 800,000 members of America's volunteer fire, EMS, 
     and rescue services. Organized in 1976, the NVFC serves as 
     the voice of America's volunteer fire personnel in over 
     28,000 departments across the country. On behalf of our 
     membership, I would like to express our support for your 
     proposed legislation, the Healthy Firefighters Act, which 
     would provide for the monitoring of the long-term medical 
     health of firefighters who respond to emergencies in any area 
     which is declared a disaster area by the Federal Government.
       As you know, firefighters, 75 percent of which are 
     volunteers, respond to a wide array of emergencies--including 
     structure and wildland fires, medical calls, motor vehicle 
     accidents, natural disasters and acts of terrorism. Very 
     often, the severe toll that is taken on their health is 
     traceable to these events; though not always quickly 
     recognizable.
       More specifically, your legislation would direct the U.S. 
     Fire Administration, in conjunction with the National 
     Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, to contract 
     with appropriate medical research universities to conduct 
     long-term medical health monitoring of those firefighters who 
     responded to Federally-declared emergencies. This monitoring 
     includes pulmonary illness, neurological damage, and 
     cardiovascular damage.
       Once again, the NVFC commends your efforts to ensure that 
     firefighters are properly monitored to guarantee that they 
     don't encounter long-term health problems due to responding 
     to national emergencies. If you or your staff have any 
     questions or comments feel free to contact Craig Sharman, 
     NVFC Director of Government Relations at (202) 887-5700 ext. 
     12.
           Sincerely,
                                             Philip C. Stittleburg
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                                  California State


                               Firefighters' Association, Inc.

                                Sacramento, CA, February 20, 2004.
     Re Support Healthy Firefighters Act.

     Senator Barbara Boxer,
     Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Boxer, the California State Firefighters' 
     Association (CSFA), the oldest and largest firefighter 
     association in the state of California, representing over 
     29,000 firefighters and EMS personnel strongly supports your 
     legislation to provide for the monitoring of the long-term 
     medical health of firefighters who responded to emergencies 
     recently in certain disaster areas.
       This important legislation will require that the United 
     States Fire Administration, in conjunction with the National 
     Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, shall contract 
     with an appropriate, locally based medical research 
     university to conduct long-term medical health monitoring of 
     those

[[Page S8232]]

     firefighters who responded to emergencies in any areas 
     referred to in subsection (b).
       (b) Affected Firefighters.--An area referred to in this 
     subsection is any area which is declared a disaster area by 
     the Federal Government.
       (c) Health Monitoring.--The long-term health monitoring 
     referred to in subsection (a) shall include pulmonary 
     illness, neurological damage, and cardiovascular damage.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section, an as-yet-to-be 
     announced sum of money for each of fiscal years 2005 through 
     2009.
       Thank you for authoring this important piece of 
     legislation. Please feel free to forward and use our 
     endorsement of your bill in any way. We look forward to 
     working with you to ensure passage of this measure.
           Respectfully,
                                                    Afrack Vargas,
                                             Legislative Advocate.
                                 ______